Ratchet wrench

ABSTRACT

An improved box end wrench of double end type, each end having double socket sizes, each being rotatably controlled by a ratchet mechanism having a pivoted latch movable to two positions whereby the socket will rotate only in one direction when the latch is in one position and will rotate only in the opposite direction when the latch is in the other position so that turning torque can be transmitted by the wrench in the same direction of rotation regardless which side of the socket is used.

United States Patent [191 Mariner RATCHET WRENCH [76] inventor: William H. Mariner, South Pack Dr.,

Ext. Rt. 4, Salisbury, Md. 21801 [22] Filed: July 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 165,995

[52] US. Cl. 81/63 [51] Int. Cl B25b 13/46 [58] Field of Search 81/58.4, 60, 61, 81/62, 63, 63.1, 63.2, 177.9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 334,010 1/1886 Follett 81/63 3,635,654 1/1972 McFarland v 81/63 1,382,492 6/1921 Evans 81/63 [451 Aug. 28, 1973 Primary Examiner-Othell M. Simpson Assistant Examiner-James G. Smith Attorney-Larson, Taylor & Hinds [5 7 ABSTRACT An improved box end wrench of double end type, each end having double socket sizes, each being rotatably controlled by a ratchet mechanism having a pivoted latch movable to two positions whereby the socket will rotate only in one direction when the latch is in one position and will rotate only in the opposite direction when the latch is in the other position so that turning torque can be transmitted by the wrench in the same direction of rotation regardless which side of the socket is used.

5 Claims, '4 Drawing Figures PAIENIEBmc28 ms 3.754.486

FIG 4 INVENTOR WILLIAM H. MARINER ATTORNEYS RATCHET WRENCH This invention relates generally to box end wrenches which are ratchet operated and have two socket sizes at each socket, whereby each socket can operate two sizes of bolts. In such a two size socket wrench, one has the inconvenience of remembering to rotate the wrench in the opposite direction when switching from one size to the other.

Accordingly it is a principal object of this invention to provide a two-size ratchet operated socket wrench which can be turned in the same direction to impart torque to a bolt head, regardless of the socket size employed.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a two-size ratchet operated socket wrench with a conveniently operated latch that can manually be adjusted to permit rotation of the socket in only one of two opposite directions. It is a further more specific object to provide a ratchet operated socket wrench with a locking latch that is spring biased to one of two manually selected positions whereby the latch permits socket rotation only in one of the two opposite directions when in each selected latch position.

Other objects will be apparent upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a wrench according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of a portion of FIG. 1, partly in cross-section, and

FIG. 4 is a cross-section along the line 4-4 of FIG.

Referring now to the drawings, a ratchet operated socket wrench is shown having apertured end portions 11 and 12 housing sockets l3 and 14 respectively, Sockets l3 and 14 are of different sizes. The reverse face of the wrench provides sockets 15 and 16 of sizes different than the sizes 13 and 14 respectively as more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thus each end of the wrench has opposite faces with varying socket sizes. The construction and operation of each end of the wrench is similar excepting for the difference in socket size. Accordingly, the end 11 will be described in further detail with the understanding that construction and operation of end 12 is similar.

It can be seen that the wrench body comprises a pair of spaced apertured plates 19 and 20 (FIG. 4) with the socket body 17 fitting within the aperture 11 in plates 19 and 20. Socket body 17 is retained in position within the apertures in plates 19 and 20 by a central peripheral extension having gear teeth 23 thereon. It can be seen that socket body 17 is rotatable within the plates 19 and 20 and cannot be removed from its position once the plates 19 and 20 are secured in their spaced relationship as shown.

To restrict rotation of the sockets in one predetermined direction, there are provided similar latches 24 and 25. Latch 24 is mounted pivotably on a pin 26 adjacent the socket body 17 and is similar to latch 25 which is mounted on the other end of the wrench adjacent sockets 14 and 16. Latch 24 has on one end thereof adjacent spaced teeth 27 and 28 (FIG. 3) and at the opposite end a central wedge 29. Wedge 29 is engaged by a spring 30 affixed to the wrench body 31 and protruding longitudinally into the space between the plates 19 and 20. Concave arcuate opposite edges 32 and 33 and latch 24 form the outer lateral connecting perimeter between the teeth 27, 28 and the projecting ends of the base 34 and 35.

Centrally disposed between plates 19 and 20 there is fixed a flat bar 31 having end portions shaped as shown at 36. When the latch 24 is in the position shown in FIG. 3 the projecting end portion 35 abuts one comer of end 36 of bar 31. Similarly when the latch is in its other position with spring 30 on the opposite side of wedge 29 projecting end portion 34 abuts the opposite corner of end 36 of bar 31.

The latch 24 is always spring biased in one of two opposite directions depending upon the position of the wedge 29 relative to the spring 30. The latch is manually set to either one of said positions by merely squeezing the surface 32 or 33 inwardly whereby spring 30 will be resiliently pushed beyond the point 37 of the wedge to bear against the opposite side of the wedge.

In operation, assuming socket 13 or 15 is attached to a nut to be turned, rotation of the wrench clockwise about socket 13 in FIG. 3 will cause tooth 27 to bear against a tooth to its left in FIG. 3 causing a rotational clockwise torque on the latch about its pivot pin 26. Thus end 35 will be forced against the end 36 of bar 31 and locked thereby against further rotation. Thus it is seen that clockwise rotation of the wrench results in locking of the latch 24 to cause rotational torque transmission in the clockwise direction from the wrench, via latch 24, to the socket 13.

counterclockwise rotation of the wrench about socket 13 causes the tooth 27 to abut the gear to its right in FIG. 3 whereby a counterclockwise torque on latch 24 about pin 26 causes pressure by wedge 29 against spring 30, which resiliently yields to permit tooth 27 to clear the immediately adjacent gear tooth before the end of spring 30 reaches point 37 and to ride towards engagement with the next gear tooth providing thereby relative rotation of the wrench about the socket 13.

Manual actuation of the latch to move the point 37 of wedge 29 to push edge 32 to the right (FIG. 3), to the other side of the spring, will permit reversing the wrench to use opposite socket 15 in exactly the same manner described in regard to socket 13, that is, clockwise wrench rotation transmits operating torque to the socket 15 whereas counterclockwise rotation permits rotation relative to socket 15.

Accordingly it is apparent that the herein disclosed wrench provides a convenient tool which can be used to drive varying size bolt heads with the same direction of wrench rotation by means of an easily manually set latch.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Patent is:

I claim:

1. A wrench including a reversing structure comprisa pair of generally flatelongated side plates, said plates being spaced away from each other and lying in planes which are generally parallel to each other, an aperture through the end of each plate, the two said apertures being aligned with each other,

a socket body rotatably mounted in said apertures, said body having a plurality of gear teeth spaced around the periphery thereof and located between said side plates,

a wrench body fixed between the side plates and spaced longitudinally of the wrench from the said socket body teeth, said wrench body having first and second shoulders at the opposite sides of the end thereof facing towards the socket body, and a resilient spring member rigidly fixed t the wrench body and projecting out of said facing end between the said shoulders thereof,

latch member located between and pivotally connected to said side plates in said space between the said socket body and the said facing end of the wrench body, said latch member having first and second teeth facing the socket body, the first of which teeth is positioned to be engaged by the socket body teeth when the latch member is pivoted to a first position, and the second of which teeth is positioned to be engaged by the socket body teeth when the latch member is pivoted to a second position, said latch member further including first and second end projections projecting toward the first and second shoulders of the wrench body, respectively, and a central wedge also projecting towards the wrench body, said end projections and said central wedge forming first and second recesses in the end of the latch member facing the wedge body, the first recess being formed between the central wedge and the first end projection and the second recess being formed between the wedge and the second end projection, each of said first and second recesses being located on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the latch member from its corresponding first and second teeth, and said spring projecting into whichever of said first or second recesses is adjacent to it, and the end projection associated with that recess into which the spring is projecting abutting its respective wedge body shoulder,

said central wedge being positioned to oppose the spring force when it is turned thereagainst up to a certain angle about its pivot axis, to thereby return the spring to said adjacent recess, said wedge positioned to ride over the spring beyond said angle of turning to permit the spring to move into the other recess,

wherein, in said first position, the first tooth of the latch member lies in the path of the socket body teeth, the spring extends into the first recess, and movement of the wrench in one direction causes the latch member to move resiliently and the first tooth to ride over the socket body teeth while movement of the wrench in the opposite direction causes the first end projection to engage the first shoulder such that the latch member turns the socket body teeth, and wherein in the second position, the second latch member tooth lies in the path of the socket body teeth, the spring extends into the second recess, and movement of the wrench in one direction causes the latch member to move resiliently and the second tooth to ride over the socket body teeth while movement of the wrench in the opposite direction causes the second end projection to engage the second shoulder such that the latch member turns the socket body teeth in a direction opposite to that in the said first position.

2. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said socket body is provided with a pair of sockets of different sizes.

3. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said latch member projects from the side of the wrench out from between the side plates and may be manually engaged to shift the latch between said first and second positions.

4. A wrench according to claim 1, said wedge extending to a point, the recesses on each side thereof being V-shaped, opened towards the wedge body.

5. A wrench according to claim 1, said wrench being a double-ended wrench which includes a said reversing structure at each end thereof. 

1. A wrench including a reversing structure comprising: a pair of generally flat elongated side plates, said plates being spaced away from each other and lying in planes which are generally parallel to each other, an aperture through the end of each plate, the two said apertures being aligned with each other, a socket body rotatably mounted in said apertures, said body having a plurality of gear teeth spaced around the periphery thereof and located between said side plates, a wrench body fixed between the side plates and spaced longitudinally of the wrench from the said socket body teeth, said wrench body having first and second shoulders at the opposite sides of the end thereof facing towards the socket body, and a resilient spring member rigidly fixed to the wrench body and projecting out of said facing end between the said shoulders thereof, a latch member located between and pivotally connected to said side plates in said space between the said socket body and the said facing end of the wrench bOdy, said latch member having first and second teeth facing the socket body, the first of which teeth is positioned to be engaged by the socket body teeth when the latch member is pivoted to a first position, and the second of which teeth is positioned to be engaged by the socket body teeth when the latch member is pivoted to a second position, said latch member further including first and second end projections projecting toward the first and second shoulders of the wrench body, respectively, and a central wedge also projecting towards the wrench body, said end projections and said central wedge forming first and second recesses in the end of the latch member facing the wedge body, the first recess being formed between the central wedge and the first end projection and the second recess being formed between the wedge and the second end projection, each of said first and second recesses being located on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the latch member from its corresponding first and second teeth, and said spring projecting into whichever of said first or second recesses is adjacent to it, and the end projection associated with that recess into which the spring is projecting abutting its respective wedge body shoulder, said central wedge being positioned to oppose the spring force when it is turned thereagainst up to a certain angle about its pivot axis, to thereby return the spring to said adjacent recess, said wedge positioned to ride over the spring beyond said angle of turning to permit the spring to move into the other recess, wherein, in said first position, the first tooth of the latch member lies in the path of the socket body teeth, the spring extends into the first recess, and movement of the wrench in one direction causes the latch member to move resiliently and the first tooth to ride over the socket body teeth while movement of the wrench in the opposite direction causes the first end projection to engage the first shoulder such that the latch member turns the socket body teeth, and wherein in the second position, the second latch member tooth lies in the path of the socket body teeth, the spring extends into the second recess, and movement of the wrench in one direction causes the latch member to move resiliently and the second tooth to ride over the socket body teeth while movement of the wrench in the opposite direction causes the second end projection to engage the second shoulder such that the latch member turns the socket body teeth in a direction opposite to that in the said first position.
 2. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said socket body is provided with a pair of sockets of different sizes.
 3. A wrench according to claim 1, said wedge extending to a point, the recesses on each side thereof being V-shaped, opened towards the wedge body.
 4. A wrench according to claim 1, said wrench being a double-ended wrench which includes a said reversing structure at each end thereof. 